An animated conversation with Jad Abumrad about sound, music, and the function of music.
Social & External
The people behind it
Jad Abumrad
Interviewee
"Getting The Knack" chronicles the controversial career of power pop stars, The Knack. Viewers will witness a compelling tale of instant stardom and spectacular failure, a story marked by heroin addiction, alcohol abuse, vicious inner-band feuding and massive critical backlash. "Getting The Knack" explores the group's career via candid interviews with the original band, producers Mike Chapman and Jack Douglas, Sharona Alperin, (the inspiration behind their biggest hit), Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, Rick Springfield, Elliot Easton of The Cars, Devo's Bob Mothersbaugh, comedian Weird Al Yankovic and many more. Narrated by Cherie Currie of The Runaways, "Getting the Knack" is augmented by scores of rare photos and previously unseen archival footage providing a no-holds barred look at the rise and fall and ultimate resurrection of the group.
A live album by American rock band Nirvana, the album features an acoustic performance recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York City on 18 November 1993, for the television series MTV Unplugged.
Heavy metal band Iron Maiden's 2008 Somewhere Back in Time World Tour. This concert recording accompanies the documentary film "Iron Maiden: Flight 666". The 16 songs performed were filmed live in 16 different cities giving you the full experience of the live power of Maiden and their fans all around the globe.
Django Reinhardt's music still looms as the standard to be attained some 50 years after his death.
Documentary that follows Go_A’s lead singer Kateryna Pavlenko in the build up to Eurovision 2021.
The story focuses on high school girl Nagisa Yukiai who lives in a seaside town. She has believed her grandmother's story that spirits dwell in words and they are called "kotodama" (word spirit). One day, she strays into a mini FM station that has not been used for years. As an impulse of the moment, she tries to talk like a DJ using the facility. But her voice accidentally broadcasted reaches someone she has never expected.
A "best of" compilation of live clips of various ASSJACK shows taped live at Alley Katz in Richmond, VA from 2003 - 2006 and clips of 1 show from May 2005 at Bluecats in Knoxville, TN. Special cameos by Dancing Outlaw Jesco White, Randy Blythe from Lamb of God and Chris Arp from Psyopus.
This historical music video features as its centrepiece The Doors' last televised appearance, aired on PBS in 1969.
The most comprehensive documentary ever made on the Northern Soul scene. A dynamic insight into why this music meant so much to so many. Geno Washington, Paul Smith, Keb Darge and many more lead us through their experience and the impact it had on the people, the power to be someone, to dance like we have never seen before or since!
Documentary tracing the history of the Two Tone record label which emerged in the late 1970s, the bands linked to it and their musical influences, and its place at the fore of promoting multi-cultural music and concepts and the Ska music revival.
Legendary Motown group the Temptations perform 20 of their hits at Harrah's in Atlantic City. This version of the group includes original members Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin, along with newer members Ron Tyson, Dennis Edwards, and Richard Street. The still lively quintet strut their stuff while belting out many of their popular favorites, including {&"My Girl,"} {&"Just My Imagination,"} {&"Ain't to Proud to Beg,"} {&"The Way You Do the Things You Do,"} and many more. The 60-minute performance took place in 1983 and was re-released in 1994.
Wacken Open Air is the biggest 3-day-rock- and metal-festival in the world. It's three days of raw energy, non-stop Heavy Metal music at full blast and 80.000 fans on a party frenzy. A true legend, taking place annually since 1990 in the sleepy German country town of Wacken, it attracts fans from all over the world. It was released on 24th of December 2014 on dvd, blu ray and 3D blu ray.
The last two decades have seen a striking decline in the quality of sound and listening experience. Compressed music, MP3s and streaming, have diminished the quality and flattened the emotion. Marketing gimmicks and convenience now take the place of excellence. The Distortion of Sound is an eye-opening exposé of the current state of sound starring Linkin Park, Slash, Quincy Jones and more. This documentary will open your ears and inspire you to reach for richer, more soul-stirring musical experiences.
It is about a music school in Philadelphia, The Paul Green School of Rock Music, run by Paul Green that teaches kids ages 9 to 17 how to play rock music and be rock stars. Paul Green teaches his students how to play music such as Black Sabbath and Frank Zappa better than anyone expects them to by using a unique style of teaching that includes getting very angry and acting childish.
RiP!: A Remix Manifesto is a 2008 open source documentary film about the "the changing concept of copyright" directed by Brett Gaylor.
The Underground subcultures in Budapest are an integral part of the diverse and colorful Hungarian culture. The creators of the film - Esther Turan and Anna Koltay - wanted to explore what were the major youth music subcultures in the '90s and 2000s in Budapest. This film is a tribute to the underground subcultures of the city. In these series of films, these grass-roots groups deal with the social impact of their community building power and the role played by Budapest itself in the formation of these groups. The film explores the kind of atmosphere and unwritten rules, what were the dominant places, external signs, and symbols, or who were the central figures and what were the memorable stories. The film guides the viewer from the best bands to the message, from the typical attire to the cult bars. The new generation is a starting point, a complex retrospective of where it originated and why the colorful underground cultural life still characterizes Budapest today.
The forceful feature-length documentary Journey to Jah by Noel Dernesch and Moritz Springer catches the global phenomenon of crossing borders by documenting the experiences of integration in a foreign culture. The film follows the internationally acclaimed European musicians Gentleman and Alborosie, which found a new spiritual home within the reggae culture while Jamaican singer Terry Lynn takes the other direction integrating European styles into her music.
Documentary film about the first St. Petersburg music club TaMtAm. It existed since 1991 upon 1996 and was held by Vsevolod Gakkel, ex-cellist of "Аквариум". The concept was modelled on cult NY club CBGB-OMFUG. Despite its controversial history this is the place where a new generation of Russian punk music was discovered.
Bay Area rapper Mac Dre began his career at 18 and quickly became an influential force in early west coast hip-hop. In 1992 he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery when his lyrics were used against him in court. He left prison with a new lease on life, founded an independent record company, and then was murdered just when he began to emerge as a star. For the first time ever, his mother Wanda reveals the true experiences of a hip-hop legend.
Lupita Nyong'o narrates a documentary about Peanuts and its creator, Charles M. Schulz. Famous fans—including Drew Barrymore, Kevin Smith, and Al Roker—share its influence on them, and a new animated story finds Charlie Brown on a quest.
A unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music's most innovative minds.
Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and the challenges faced by the Lightyear crew along the way.
Combining archival footage with rotoscopic animation, Tower reveals the action-packed untold stories of the witnesses, heroes and survivors of America's first mass school shooting, when the worst in one man brought out the best in so many others.
Captured during Billie Eilish's sold-out world tour, a concert experience from one of the most celebrated and successful artists of her generation, presented in immersive 3D.
After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.
As the front man of the Clash from 1977 onwards, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before. In "The Future Is Unwritten", from British film director Julien Temple, Joe Strummer is revealed not just as a legend or musician, but as a true communicator of our times. Drawing on both a shared punk history and the close personal friendship which developed over the last years of Joe's life, Julien Temple's film is a celebration of Joe Strummer - before, during and after the Clash.
Live Aid was held on 13 July 1985, simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, and the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, United States. It was one of the largest scale satellite link-ups and television broadcasts of all time: watched live by an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations. "It's twelve noon in London, seven AM in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid...!"
A group of British children aged 7 from widely ranging backgrounds are interviewed about a range of subjects. The filmmakers plan to re-interview them at 7 year intervals to track how their lives and attitudes change as they age.
A series of interviews featuring linguist, philosopher and activist Noam Chomsky done in hand-drawn animation.
A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.
Part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream, this film captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year.
Through archival interviews and footage, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley relive the arc of their Wham! career, from 70s best buds to 80s pop icons.
A primetime special with performances from the superstar including Adele’s first new material in six years plus her chart-topping hits. The special will also feature an exclusive interview with Adele by Oprah Winfrey from her rose garden, in Adele’s first televised wide-ranging conversation.
Rising musician Jeff Buckley had only released one album when he died suddenly in 1997. Now, never-before-seen footage, exclusive voice messages, and accounts from those closest to him offer a portrait of the captivating singer.
A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
From humble roots as pastor's sons in New Jersey, through their meteoric rise to fame, the Jonas Brothers' bond was unshakeable-until a surprising and painful breakup led Joe, Kevin and Nick down very different paths. With deeply personal interviews, previously unreleased footage and exclusive music, this is the Jonas Brothers as never seen before.
This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.